


MakoHaru Festival Works

by koonutkalifee



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-14
Updated: 2015-02-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 12:00:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 10,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3248879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koonutkalifee/pseuds/koonutkalifee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daily pieces from tumblr's 2015 makoharu festival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Valentines Day

_Four_

They’re four years old and don’t know what Valentine’s Day is, but their parents coo at them more than usual when they play together on that day.

 

_Six_

They know that Valentine’s Day exists now, but to them it just means everything in the shops is pink and the older kids in school give each other chocolate. Makoto holds Haru’s hand, like normal, as they walk to school together, and they hear more giggles than usual, high pitched and giddy, as they walk.

 

_Nine_

Makoto opens his front door and Haru is stood there, holding a wrapped box in front of him. He thrusts the box at Makoto and turns and runs away, and Makoto almost calls out to him but is too distracted by the box. His mother appears at the end of the hallway.

“Who was that?” She asks, but sees the package in Makoto’s hands. “Oh, I see.” She smiles happily. “Never mind then.” She seems inordinately pleased and Makoto blushes and tries to stutter out a denial but his mother is already gone.

He takes the box upstairs to his room to hide from his parents, and unwraps it carefully. It’s beautifully wrapped in blue paper, and Makoto thinks about Haru concentrating on wrapping it.

It’s chocolate, but Makoto is more focused on the small, folded note that falls out when he finishes unwrapping it. He unfolds it gently, and for some reason his hands are shaking slightly as he does.

Haru’s tiny, regular writing stares up at him from the page and he reads it once, twice, three times, blushing and smiling more each time he does.

 

_Thirteen_

Makoto knows Haru’s parents are out today. He’d checked.

He nervously adjusts the flowers in his hands and rings the bell.

 _Haru’s not really a flowers person_ he thinks, but it’s too late now. He’s here holding them anyway.

The door opens and Haru’s stood there, hair dripping wet, and Makoto’s mouth goes dry. He can’t remember what he wanted to say so he just pushes the flowers into Haru’s hands and leans forwards, clumsily kisses him on the cheek and turns and runs away.

If he’d stayed he would have seen the rare blush rise to Haru’s cheeks, would have seen him read the note he’d tied around the stems of the flowers, would have seen him find a vase and put them on his nightstand. If he’d stayed Haru might have kissed him back.

He was too shy to stay, even with his best friend.

 

_Fifteen_

Makoto is standing opposite a girl.

This is the first thing Haru notices. The second thing is that she is holding a letter and both of them are blushing.

He knows what day it is. He turns around and walks away and feels slightly sick.

He manages to avoid Makoto for the rest of the day.

After school he leaves before Makoto.

He’s walking along the seafront when Makoto calls out to him from behind, and he pretends not to hear. He can hear though, and he can also hear Makoto running behind him. He doesn’t turn, and only looks at Makoto when he’s just inches in front of him.

“Ah, Haru.” Makoto seems nervous, and Haru blinks. Makoto’s blushing, more than he had been earlier.

“Do you want to come over?” Makoto asks, and Haru wonders why Makoto’s blushing so much.

Then he realises. “Mom and dad have gone out.” Makoto’s still talking, and looks slightly more comfortable. “And the twins are staying with their friends. So I wondered…”

Haru nods once. His hand twitches and he tries to calm his heart rate and think rationally but instead he extends his hand to Makoto.

Makoto’s face lights up brighter than he’s ever seen it and Haru flushes and looks away at the sight but tangles his slim fingers with Makoto’s warmer, thicker ones.

 

_Seventeen_

Haru is nervous.

His stomach is twisting and his heart is palpitating and his palms are sweating but everything’s ready, everything’s sorted.

He tugs his hair and wonders if he has enough time to take a bath but a glance at the clock says Makoto will be here soon, not nearly enough time for him to relax even a little.

One last check. It had been too cold to have a picnic outside so he’d put the blankets in his living room and dimmed the lights.

The doorbell rings and his stomach fills with butterflies again.

He opens the door and Makoto is standing there, looking more nervous than he feels and suddenly he’s calm.

Haru stands to the side and Makoto shuffles past him and for a moment they’re pressed against each other, Haru’s nose at Makoto’s throat, close in Haru’s narrow hallway.

The moment passes and Makoto bends down to take off his shoes and Haru smiles slightly because of how lucky he is.

 

_Twenty four_

The ocean, Makoto decides. The ocean this year. They live in the city, away from the ocean, and he knows they both miss it.

He books train tickets and tells Haru he’s choosing this year, and Haru nods and kisses him. Their apartment is small and tidy and always warm, and Makoto feels warmer than usual.

Haru doesn’t ask where they’re going and Makoto doesn’t tell him, wants to surprise him.

Haru doesn’t look at the tickets on the day. They’ve both dressed up a little, Makoto’s collar poking out of a sweater and Haru’s shirt unusually buttoned up and tucked in.

Blue eyes match the blue ocean and Makoto’s content to watch Haru stare at the sea. He looks so peaceful, face relaxed and open for once.

They walk along the beach for hours, sometimes holding hands and sometimes not. Makoto had booked a restaurant and they eat late, after watching the sunset.

It’s cold – it’s very cold – but Haru wants to watch the stars in the ocean and Makoto wants to see Haru see the ocean again so they walk back down to the beach holding hands. Haru’s hands are always slightly colder than Makoto’s but against the cold air they’re almost hot.

They stand shoulder to shoulder watching the waves and each other. The sea is black and inky and has tiny, blurred specks of light dancing across its surface and Makoto thinks his heart will explode with how much he loves Haru.

Haru turns and catches him staring and stares back, eyes wide and bright and so very alive and Makoto kisses him in front of the silver-black sea.


	2. Shooting Stars

“Make a wish, Haru.”

Makoto is warm beneath him, and Haru tries to wriggle closer without giving himself away. The gentle puffs of laughter he gets in response indicate he has not been successful, but he supposes that doesn’t matter.

“Did you make a wish?” Makoto asks him and Haru shakes his head. “There’ll be another star in a minute.” Makoto shifts slightly and Haru’s blanket is almost dislodged.

The two are sat in Haru’s garden, watching the meteors shower down above the water and disappear behind the horizon. It’s not cold out, but Makoto had insisted on bringing out as many blankets as he could carry and Haru hadn’t tried to talk him out of it.

Another flash of light shoots across the sky and Haru watches Makoto instead of it, watches Makoto’s brow furrow as he concentrates on his wish and watches him smile slightly when it’s done. Haru knows every movement of Makoto’s face, every twitch and flicker, even in the dark.

Makoto catches him staring and blushes, the faint flush of his skin beautifully visible even in the dark. Haru doesn’t look away.

They’re very close, Haru sitting across Makoto’s lap so that he can curl either forwards or backwards into him and both smothered by blankets. The blush isn’t fading from Makoto’s cheeks and Haru almost fancies he can feel it, feel the warm blood in Makoto’s face radiate heat across the few centimetres of space between them.

Haru kisses him quickly and then pulls away and settles his back against Makoto’s chest, pulling his arms tighter around him. He knows his own face must be slightly red now, and focuses on the stars in front of him. He wonders what to wish for.

He feels Makoto rest his cheek against his hair and can’t stop himself smiling. Knotting his fingers with Makoto’s in front of him he looks up at the sky just as another star falls.

“I wish,” He starts, but he doesn’t finish it, unsure of what he’s supposed to ask for. He looks up at the sky, lips slightly parted, hoping for some clue. Inspiration doesn’t strike.

Makoto’s lips are pressed to the back of his neck now and he shivers slightly, too warm for blankets with a simple press of skin. He reaches a hand back to touch Makoto, to stroke his hair or touch his neck and Makoto catches the hand and presses his lips to the palm.

The hitch in his breath is enough to have Makoto laughing gently, warm air moving across his palm and Haru smiles too, comfortable in Makoto’s lap. He tilts his head back to look up at Makoto and Makoto looks back, faces just inches apart.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees another flash of light and breathes out “Make a wish, Makoto.” His voice sounds breathless and Makoto smiles and closes his eyes and leans his forehead against Haru’s.

“Okay, Haru.” He says quietly, and after a moment leans back away from Haru and looks up at the sky. Haru watches him, the colour bled out of them both by the night but Haru knows every shade of Makoto in every type of light.

Another star shoots across the sky and Haru thinks _I want Makoto_ but he can’t wish for that because Makoto is already his. The frown on his face must be more pronounced than he thinks because Makoto hums in his throat and kisses his temple.

“You’ll figure it out.” He says quietly and Haru’s struck once again by how well Makoto knows him. _I want Makoto forever_. Haru thinks and this one makes more sense but doesn’t feel quite right.

Throwing off one of the blankets that had almost trapped him where he was Haru twists against Makoto and kneels up, straddling his lap. Makoto reaches his hands up to cup Haru’s face and Haru catches his wrists and lets him.

Another blanket shifts off his shoulder and Haru shivers at how cold it’s gotten. The eyes in front of him flutter shut and Makoto leans in to kiss him but Haru doesn’t shut his eyes. He looks out towards the sea where three stars are blinking out of existence, and suddenly knows.

_I want to stay with Makoto forever._

He shuts his eyes and opens his mouth, not cold anymore.


	3. Prove It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild crybaby shark appears.

“Prove it.”

“No.”

Rin leered at him across the table and Haru stared impassively back. “I bet you do have a hickey.” Haru just shrugged. “C’mon Haru. Who?”

Haru blinked. “It’s a scarf. You’re wearing a scarf.”

Rin put his cup down and looked at Haru like he was an idiot. “Well yeah. I have a hickey.”

Shot himself in the foot there.

Haru raised an eyebrow and Rin grinned. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”

“Don’t care.”

“So you do have a hickey!”

“No.”

Why he was still denying it was as confusing to Haru as it must have been to Rin. Haru lifted his teacup and took a sip, ignoring Rin’s staring.

“Do I know them?” Rin asked and had Haru been so inclined he would have snorted. That was a stupid question.

“Don’t have a hickey.”

“Then take your scarf off!”

“Don’t want to.”

Rin groaned. “I’d have more progress with a brick wall.” He sighed. “When’s Makoto coming?” He asked.

“Ten minutes. He said he’d be late.” He’d told him this morning before he’d kissed him goodbye.

“Are they hot?” Rin asked. Haru didn’t dignify that with a response.

Rin’s phone buzzed. “It’s Makoto.” Rin glanced up at Haru. “He says he’ll be here soon. Why didn’t he text you?”

“Don’t use my phone.” Haru said and Rin scowled.

“Explains a lot. Do they go to your school?”

Haru nearly threw his teacup at him, but he wasn’t finished. “How’s Sousuke?”

“You hate Sousuke.”

“I’m not the one sleeping with him.”

Rin spat his coffee back into his cup.

Haru’s face was the picture of innocence when he looked back up and he glared and bared his teeth. Haru sipped his tea and looked back, unaffected by the display.

“I can’t believe you.”

The café door chimed and Haru turned to see Makoto walk in and spot them.

“Rin, Haru!” He beamed across at Rin and sat down next to Haru. “Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s fine.” Haru took another sip from his nearly empty cup and stood up. “I’ll go.” He said, and began weaving his way through the tables.

“Oi, Makoto.” Rin grumbled, still trying to wipe coffee off of his shirt. “Do you know who Haru’s… you know…”

Makoto blinked, looking even more innocent than Haru had, and Rin groaned and slumped forwards onto the table. “I can’t catch a break.” He mumbled.

“How’s Sousuke?” Makoto asked, and Rin raised his head enough to look at Makoto in total confusion.

“Are you and Haru psychic or something?” He muttered, then sat back up straight. “No, wait, I know that one.” Rin drained his coffee and rubbed his forehead. “Sousuke is fine. Fantastic. As annoying as ever.”

Makoto looked genuinely happy about this news and Rin knew he probably was.

Haru put a tray with three cups and a plate on down between them, and sat back down next to Makoto. “Thank you, Haru!” Makoto turned to smile at Haru and Rin saw him smile back, just a tiny bit.

“You don’t like cake.” Rin nodded at the plate on the tray. “What colour are their eyes?”

“It’s Makoto’s.” Haru seemingly ignored the second part of the question.

Makoto frowned. “Who’s eyes?” He asked.

Haru turned to look at him, and a few moments later Makoto’s face cleared in understanding. “Ah.”

Rin stared at them. “Shit.” He said. “Shit.”

The blush on Makoto’s face was confirmation enough.

“Oh my god.”

If Haru’s gaze was anything to go by the teacup in his hand had just become the most interesting thing in the room.

The three of them sat in perfect, frozen awkwardness, neither looking at the others.

“How.” Rin tried. “How long.” He mumbled.

Makoto and Haru looked at each other. “We don’t know.” Makoto eventually said.

“Figures.” Rin grumbled at his coffee. “How long have you been. Uh.”

Makoto turned bright red and Haru tilted his head slightly. “For about twelve hours.” He said, almost daring Rin to say something.

Rin didn’t disappoint. “Holy shit.” He grinned suddenly. “Was that both of your first times?”

It seemed this announcement wasn’t actually going to change anything.

Makoto had flushed even darker and was trying to stutter out a response and Haru just glared. Rin drank his coffee and stared back, cheerfully arrogant.

His eyes widened. “So it was Makoto who gave you the hickey!” He mock-gasped.

“Don’t have a hickey.”

“Prove it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I honestly could not picture a scene in which Makoto or Haru said this and it was in character, so have this loser. Also feat random sourin.


	4. You're Mistaken

_He doesn’t like me like that,_ Makoto thinks again, and forces himself to tear his eyes away.

Haru it just sitting, goddammit. It’s not like he’s doing anything worth staring at.

Makoto sighs and drops his head to look at his homework, and curses his stupid heart for what must be the thousandth time. Of all the people to fall in love with it was his best friend he did.

He’s perfectly happy with the way things are, but god, it hurts sometimes.

 

He thinks Nagisa knows. Nagisa always knows, and if Nagisa knows then Rei and Gou probably do too. He does spend a lot of time staring at Haru, after all.

The five of them leave after swim practice and Makoto and Haru split off from Nagisa and Rei and Nagisa gives him a sort of sad half-smile and Makoto’s heart only breaks a little.

 

They train together, even when they can’t swim, and for a moment Makoto can’t breathe looking at Haru, and it’s not even because of how he looks with his shirt hanging off and glistening with sweat; it’s the focus and passion that flashes through when they’re alone and training, the way his forehead furrows and his face contorts slightly and he looks so alive that Makoto wants to stare at him forever.

The heavy feeling Makoto always has when he remembers how untouchable Haru is threatens to break him and he focuses on his workout.

 

At some point in the months after realising how he felt Makoto realises how like a couple they are, and it feels better and worse.

He snaps the shared popsicle in half and offers one to Haru, who takes it with a small smile. For a second he can pretend that they’re something they’re not, as Haru’s fingers brush his own, but the moment fractures and shatters as Haru turns to face forward and disappears into his thoughts.

Makoto supposes it’s good Haru can be so oblivious, because otherwise he’d have given himself away long ago.

 

He tries to convince himself it’s pointless. He _does_ convince himself it’s pointless. Haru isn’t his. Makoto doesn’t even know what he wants to be to Haru or Haru to be to him. None of the words that dance through his mind quite fit. Best friends boyfriends partners lovers soulmates.

Makoto wants all of it.

 

“Are you alright, Makoto?” Haru asks, and Makoto had tries to pretend he hadn’t been about to kiss Haru under the cherry blossom tree.

“Mm.” Makoto smiles and makes as if to keep walking. “Yeah.”

He doesn’t try to explain.

Haru doesn’t move and Makoto stops a few paces away.

“Why did you stop?” Haru looks uncomfortable and Makoto’s heart sinks. He can feel himself shrivelling up inside and a hot, sticky lump appears in his throat.

“Stop what?” It’s useless it’s over it’s gone the best thing Makoto has always had is ending in front of him and he can’t do a damn thing to stop it.

“You,” Haru hesitates and Makoto thinks he can see a slight blush, high and faint on his cheekbones. “You were about to kiss me.”

He’s speaking so quietly that Makoto can barely hear him.

“I’m sorry.” Makoto says, and the tears he could feel threatening him are beginning to burn the back of his eyes. His throat hurts from trying to hold them back. “Haru, I’m sorry.”

Haru seems to stand up straighter. “Why did you stop?” He asks, less quiet now.

“Because,” and how does Makoto even go about answering that question? Why that question in particular? “you don’t like me. Like that.” Makoto isn’t going to cry here.

There are no tears in his eyes and so he can see Haru perfectly clearly, can see his reaction to that statement.

Haru flinches back as though burned, mouth opening slightly and eyes widening.

_That’s shock._ Makoto’s brain registers. _Why is Haru –_

Haru is kissing him.

It’s feather-light and over in less than a second and Makoto freezes as half his world rearranges itself.

Haru is stood right in front of him, so very very close. There is a red tinge to all of his face now, and Makoto wants to do something, to move, but he can’t because Haru had just kissed him, _Haru_ had kissed him.

Haru had kissed him first.

Which meant that Haru liked him back.

“I thought,” Makoto says, and he really wants to kiss Haru again. “I thought you didn’t like me like that. I thought you didn’t like anyone like that.”

Haru looks up at him.

“You’re mistaken.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like angsty things ok I can't write them


	5. Cold Sweater Weather

_That’s my sweater_ Makoto thinks.

It’s cold. It’s late autumn, and the leaves are falling from the trees as orange messes and frost is beginning to creep across the floor and the sky is darkening before they even get home from school. And the temperature is dropping.

Makoto has so many sweaters it’s a little embarrassing. Green ones and blue ones, ones that are probably too small and ones that are definitely too big. He doesn’t know why he has so many. It probably has something to do with his tendency to lose them.

The sweater Haru is wearing is definitely his.

It’s too big on him; the sleeves cover all but his fingertips and it’s loose round the chest and stops a few inches down his thighs.

It’s frankly adorable, and Makoto has to stifle a smile. He knows he can’t have done a very good job because Haru turns to glare at him slightly. Makoto smiles more.

“Sorry, Haru.” The two are standing on the seafront together. Impromptu dates weren’t usually their thing, but today was a rare exception. “Let’s go.” They begin walking together, shoulders occasionally brushing.

Throughout the date Makoto is repeatedly struck by the urge to tug at Haru’s too-long sleeves or at the hem. Haru looks smaller than he usually does because of how big the sweater is on him and Makoto swears he catches Haru trying to curl into it.

Of course it rains. Thankfully it’s only as they’re walking home from the train station, but it’s heavy and freezing and they both get soaked. They bundle into Makoto’s house and stand shivering in the hallway for a minute until Makoto starts fussing.

“Haru, you’ll catch a cold.” He insists and pulls his own sweater off. “Here, give me that.” He reaches out a hand to tug at the thick wool of the sweater Haru’s wearing and Haru pulls back, before allowing Makoto to tug it off. “You need to dry off.” Haru begins removing the rest of his clothes and Makoto turns bright red and tugs him towards his room.

He grabs a couple of towels from a cupboard and pulls off his shirt, then passes a towel to Haru. “Here.”

Haru takes the towel and finishes stripping off his wet clothes. He stands for a moment, unsure of what to do, until Makoto throws him some dry clothes.

“Thank you.” He says quietly, and Makoto smiles at him over his bare shoulder.

After dumping their sodden clothes in the laundry Makoto moves towards the kitchen. “Haru, do you want a drink?” He asks, and Haru nods.

Makoto’s hair is dripping onto his neck and shoulders and Haru frowns at the sight. He pulls the towel from around his neck and walks over to behind Makoto, wraps it around his head and begins drying his hair.

They stand for a while like that, Haru’s hands gently rubbing Makoto’s hair. Makoto can feel Haru’s breaths puff softly against the back of his neck and it’s oddly tiring but comforting as well.

He pours them both tea and they move back up to Makoto’s room.

“You can keep my sweater, you know.” Makoto has sat on his futon and Haru sits next to him, close enough that he can feel Makoto’s warmth through all of their clothes. “If you want.”

Haru smiles at him and Makoto beams back, and then grabs at the blankets on his bed. He pulls them up to cover their knees and finally tugs at one of Haru’s too long sleeves. Haru looks at him almost impassively but there’s a slight upturn of his lips that gives his amusement away.

“Hmm. We should play Animal Crossing.” Haru says, and Makoto nods, eyes lighting up.

They fall asleep like that, curled up together in Makoto’s too-big sweaters under the blankets on his bed.


	6. Don't Let Go

The very first words Haru ever says to Makoto are don’t let go.

(Incidentally, the last ones in this lifetime are not dissimilar.)

They are very small. Haru is slightly bigger than Makoto, but he still is no higher than one of the adult’s chairs.

Makoto has been chattering away now for almost half an hour, the nonsensical babble of someone very young, and Haru has been listening intently but not taking much of it in. He knows Makoto likes swimming though, and he thinks that’s the most important thing about his new friend.

The two are sitting under a tree, looking at the pond on the other side of the fence. Haru has been looking at it suspiciously, and Makoto has noticed.

“I don’t think you can swim there.” He says sadly, and Haru scowls slightly. “We could climb the tree though.”

It’s a very tall tree, and Haru doesn’t want to. Makoto looks relieved. “I’m scared of heights.” He confesses, and Haru looks confused.

“I’m scared of lots of things.” Makoto says quietly, and Haru lays on his back and looks up at him. Makoto lays down next to him and holds out his hand for Haru to take. He hesitates for a moment before reaching out to take it, and Makoto notices.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to.” He says, and his hand slackens slightly in Haru’s.

“Don’t let go.” Haru’s voice is quiet, but it’s the first time Makoto’s heard it.

“Mm-kay.”

The two lapse into relative silence.

“Why did you want to climb the tree if you’re afraid of heights?” Haru says.

Makoto shakes his head, though Haru can’t see him. “I didn’t. You looked bored.”

Haru doesn’t answer for a moment. “I don’t like climbing too.” He adds the too because he thinks it’s important, although he’s not sure why.

“No. You like swimming.” Makoto sounds happy about this. “And dolphins.”

Haru nods, smiling at the sky. “I only swim free.” He says, and feels Makoto’s hand shudder in his own.

“Don’t like swimming on my front.” He mumbles, and Haru’s face drops. “Swimming on my back’s okay cos I can see the sky.” He adds, and Haru thinks that’s not such a bad reason. “But I can’t breathe when I’m on my front.”

Makoto points at a cloud with his free hand. “What’s that one look like?” He asks Haru. Haru considers it for a moment.

“It’s a fish.” He decides. Makoto scrunches up his nose.

“It’s not a fish. Fish have tails!”

“It’s a fish.” Haru repeats, and Makoto squints.

“Kay. What about that one?”

“It’s another fish.”

“They can’t all be fish!” Makoto exclaims and Haru looks a little sad about this. “We could go draw fish though.” He adds. “They had lots of colours inside.”

“M’kay.” Haru stands up and pulls Makoto up with him. “We should draw other things too. Like dolphins and whales.”

Makoto’s face lights up and Haru smiles at him for the first time. “Let’s go!” Makoto tugs gently on Haru’s hand and Haru looks at them uncertainly. Noticing, Makoto loosens his grip,

Haru shakes his head and squeezes Makoto’s hand slightly harder. “Don’t let go.” He says again, and Makoto never really does.


	7. 7 Sins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> k this one gets kinda dirty towards the end  
> i lie it's really dirty

There are seven sins in western mythology and Makoto is all of them, Haru thinks.

Rather, Makoto brings them out in him. He wonders how someone so pure and golden and clean and _good_ can make him act so dirty but he doesn’t care, doesn’t want to care.

 

He lifts his head out of the chlorine-tasting water and looks around, looks towards the huge scoreboard that his name is at the very top of and smiles very slightly. He looks down to just above him and Makoto is standing there, bent down with a hand extended and glowing with happiness and Haru reaches up to take the hand.

He’s pulled straight up out of the water (sometimes Haru forgets how strong Makoto really is) and ends up standing flush against him, their hands clasped between their chests.

“Well done, Haru.” Makoto says, and Haru smiles a bit more and squeezes his hand before letting go. He knows how much Makoto means it, knows Makoto’s heart is full of pride and admiration for him, and knowing this Haru thinks he can do anything he wants, knowing this means he is invincible.

 

“Not getting up.” Haru says flatly, and lies down across Makoto’s chest. Makoto’s strong – stronger than Haru – but Haru’s more awake and has gravity on his side. “Skip classes today.”

Makoto tries to hum a protest but Haru just covers his mouth with his hand and pillows his head more comfortably into Makoto’s neck.

“We shouldn’t.” Makoto mumbles through Haru’s hand, and Haru is very tempted to bite his neck. Tangling their legs together Haru looks up.

“Why not?” He asks, and he knows what he’s doing is unfair because he’s looking up from under his eyelashes and his voice is still rough from sleep and he’s just a little bit turned on and it shows in his face. Makoto flushes and Haru knows he’s won. “Don’t you want to?” He feels a little silly now, but he wants to stay in bed with Makoto all morning and if he has to seduce him, so be it.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Makoto swallow and he smiles a little and tucks himself in closer.

 

Haru did not think he wanted material things. What he wanted was to swim and be free and be with his team.

He wants the world with Makoto though. He wants everything and anything, wants all of it and wants Makoto to have it too.

Makoto would give him the world if he asked. The world and everything in it would be Haru’s if Haru wanted it to be, and some days Haru does.

 

Makoto holds the chopsticks near his mouth and Haru opens it again so Makoto can feed him something else.

He’s eaten enough. He knows he’s eaten enough. The plate on the table a few feet away is empty, and that had been enough.

The chopsticks are in front of him again and Haru opens his mouth.

Spoiled and pampered. That’s what he is. Makoto is feeding him, feeding him as they sit sprawled against their couch cushions, and Haru vaguely thinks he should stop. Seeing the same chopsticks come out of Makoto’s mouth is more than enough to discourage that train of thought though. Haru obediently opens his mouth as Makoto lifts his hand again.

He had been nervous at first. Haru had seen that in the slight tremble in his hand and the uncertainty in his eyes. He isn’t nervous now though, and the confidence is making Haru’s heart beat funny.

Makoto’s feeding him something rich and dark and slightly sweet and Haru leans forward to kiss him through a sticky mouthful. He doesn’t particularly like the taste, but that doesn’t really matter.

 

There’s sadness in Makoto’s eyes and fury in Haru’s. It’s cold, burning fury and Haru turns to look at the people in front of them only for them to flinch back, mumbling apologies.

He’s not sure what Makoto had been carrying, but it was breakable from the look of the glass shattered across the icy pavement.

Haru’s hands are perfectly steady as he turns to face the small group in front of him. They don’t tremble, not with fear, not with anger. They don’t twitch into fists in a futile display of strength. They are perfectly still by his sides.

The people in front of him are looking uncertain now, and one of them bows an apology and tries to leave.

“Haru.” Makoto says. He’s knelt down and is collecting the pieces of glass off the floor. “Can you help me please?” He asks, and Haru turns away from the people in front of him to crouch next to him.

His heart rate is dropping back to its regular, slow rhythm as he helps Makoto with the broken glass.

 

 _Mine_ Haru thinks, glaring at the girl. _Mine._

Makoto is either completely oblivious, or just being far too nice; either one is entirely possible. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and smiles brightly, and Haru scowls at his essay. _Mine._

The scarf that Makoto has tangled around his neck is covering a small hickey, and for a moment Haru is very tempted to reach forwards across the table he’s working at to pull at the loose end to reveal it. He doesn’t. He doesn’t, but he wants to.

He honestly wouldn’t mind if she wasn’t flirting so openly. The pen in his hand shakes slightly and he clenches it slightly harder, dragging out word after word onto the paper. Makoto has a lot of friends. Haru doesn’t mind most of them. It’s the ones that hit on him that he minds, and she had definitely fallen into that category.

The girl is gone now. She had been stood there for just a few minutes, but to Haru it had felt like forever.

When they walk home together that night Haru slings an arm around Makoto’s waist with the excuse that it’s cold. Makoto offers him his jacket and Haru grips Makoto’s hip just a little tighter.

 _Mine_ his posture screams, though there’s no one there to see.

 

“Makoto.” Haru rasps out and it’s a prayer and a sin. “Makoto.”

The room is dark for once, lit only by the streetlights outside and the faint glow of the clock face and so Makoto is all but shadow above him, lit strange and beautiful by the absence of light.

“ _Makoto.”_ Haru says again, and it’s fainter this time, like he’s losing his breath. He scrabbles his fingers against Makoto’s back, trying not to dig his nails. Makoto drops so he’s leaning on one elbow above Haru and their faces are barely inches apart and Haru can see every detail on his face despite the dark.

Sweat droplets have formed on Makoto’s temples and dripped down onto his cheekbones. He’s breathing hard through his mouth and his lips are slightly parted and dry.

Haru wants to see Makoto properly, wants to see every line and curve of his body as he moves above him but he’s unable to tear his eyes away from Makoto’s. He’s frozen on his back, totally vulnerable and almost unable to move, even as Makoto slowly bends down and kisses him. His arms are heavy above his head and one leg is tangled around Makoto’s waist and he shakes as he comes.

 

Haru sometimes wonders if he makes Makoto as dirty as Makoto makes him, and in silent, still moments he knows that he does.


	8. Delayed Train

_My train’s been delayed_ Makoto’s phone stares up at him and he looks at it sadly. Haru won’t be back until an hour later than they’d expected.

Makoto texts back :( _ok, see you then_ and tucks his phone back into his pocket. It’s not that big of a deal. Haru’s still going to be back home by this evening.

The essay in front of him is looking even less appealing than before, but he begins tapping at his keyboard again, determined not to have any homework when Haru gets back.

Haru was visiting his parents, and although Makoto had been invited too he’d had too much work due. He’d kissed Haru goodbye a week ago and waved at the train as it left, feeling a little bit like a kid again.

He’s sure his phone bill for this month is going to be hideous.

Oh well. He’s put in extra hours at the shop this month, so it all balances out anyway. Saving the few words he’s managed to write since Haru’s miserable text he decides to take a break.

 

Haru sits in his train seat and thinks he does a good enough job of radiating an aura of _don’t fucking talk to me._ No one has even asked him for a ticket.

He does love his parents, but spending a week with them had been exhausting and he wants to go home.

Home to Makoto and their bed and the familiar pool just a few minutes away. But mostly Makoto. He looks again at Makoto’s text of _:( ok, see you then_ and smiles faintly at how adorable Makoto is.

The food in his bag doesn’t look very appealing, but he is hungry and hasn’t eaten since the morning. Sighing, he reaches down to unpack it and wonders how clean the chopsticks he has are.

His phone buzzes again and he opens the message from his mom. _Heard your train got delayed): get home safe_ He wonders why everyone in his life uses emojis, and texts back _K._

 

The train station is really crowded, and for a brief second Makoto considers waiting outside. It had looked like it was about to rain though, so he stays standing by the ticket barriers, looking for Haru.

Someone’s elbow hits his side and he turns to apologise but they’ve already gone. He sighs and turns back to face the influx of people coming from the trains.

He pulls out his phone. _Where are you?_ He sends.

The reply is instant. _I can see you. Hold on._

 

Haru smiles at the sight of Makoto looking confusedly at his phone. Makoto usually forgets it, but he’s very tall. A lot taller than Haru.

He’s just a few feet away from Makoto when he spots him, and Makoto’s face lights up immediately. He takes one, two, three steps towards him and stops just in front of him, seemingly oblivious to the rush of people around them.

“Welcome home, Haru.” It’s hard to hear him over the noise but Haru understands perfectly.

“Makoto.” He says, not so tired now. “Let’s go home.”


	9. Procrastination

“I’ll do it later.”

Haru really is very lazy when he wants to be, Makoto thinks. The drone of _later, I’ll do it later_ was not one he was unfamiliar with, much to his dismay.

“You need to do it soon.”

Makoto was always the voice of reason, in both persuading and dissuading Haru from doing anything.

“I will.” Haru’s voice comes from the well-worn sofa and Makoto is vaguely irritated now.

“Haru, you need to do it now.”

Haru doesn’t sit up.

“Haru!” Makoto sighs and puts a pen on top of the form. “Please.”

A black mess of hair appears from behind the sofa cushions and Makoto hides his smile behind his hand. He hadn’t realised Haru had been asleep when he got there.

 

“Haru, you need to hurry up!” Makoto calls from the poolside. “We’ll miss our train.”

Haru is sat in the changing room, staring almost hypnotised at the small puddles of water that are forming beneath his dripping swimsuit. He hasn’t taken it off yet. He doesn’t want to, and part of him thinks that they can just get the next train.

His swimsuit is really very comfortable, and he idly wonders why it’s unacceptable to wear them as everyday wear.

“Haru!” Makoto has been waiting for a while now, and Haru suddenly feels slightly guilty.

“Sorry.” He calls back, and begins changing.

 

“I need to do something.” He tells Makoto, and hours later Makoto asks if he’s done it yet. Homework, forms, applications, Makoto always seems to remember to ask.

Haru is quietly very grateful.

 

“I need to do something later.” Haru tells Makoto. No backing out now.

Makoto nods. “At the festival? Okay. I’ll remind you.”

Haru’s stomach twists. It’s settled then.

 

“Did you do what you needed to yet?” Makoto asks. The festival lights are bright around them and Haru doesn’t want to do this here. His stomach is fluttering and he feels faintly sick.

“No.”

Makoto smiles at Haru’s bluntness and nudges him gently with an elbow. “You shouldn’t put things off so long.”

They keep walking, Makoto not asking where Haru is going.

“I know.” The lights are behind them now, and Haru feels slightly better. There aren’t so many people now.

If this goes wrong though, he can’t imagine how he’ll deal with the consequences.

“What do you even need to do, anyway?” Makoto asks, and Haru turns to face him.

Don’t think about it.

Haru stands on his toes and kisses Makoto. His lips don’t quite meet Makoto’s and their noses bump together but he managed to do it, managed to finally kiss Makoto.

Makoto is looking at him uncertainly and Haru’s heart threatens to sink.

“Haru?” Makoto asks and for the thousandth time the thought crosses Haru’s mind that Makoto doesn’t like him back.

He opens his mouth – to apologise, to beg? He’s not sure – only to find Makoto kissing him. It’s no more elegant or graceful than their first kiss. Makoto’s mouth is shut and his is open and their lips can’t align.

It’s perfect.

Makoto pulls back and Haru blushes at how happy he looks, realising he probably looks just as delighted. “That was what you were putting off?” Makoto sounds as happy as he looks, all but glowing in the darkness.

Haru nods and goes to kiss him again, and this time their lips meet properly and they don’t bump their noses. “Yeah.”

“You need to stop putting things off for so long.” Makoto whispers, and wraps his arms around Haru.

“Yeah.” Haru buries his face in Makoto’s neck and awkwardly holds his arms around his waist. “I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow i appear to love writing tacky first kiss things


	10. Dreams

Haru hates the word dreams.

Hates it with a burning passion that is usually reserved for swimming and for his friends, and he supposes, in one of the moments he’s able to think about this objectively, that it’s because the three are so closely interlinked.

Find a dream, Makoto says. I’d want you to find one.

He doesn’t want a dream. He wants to swim with his friends.

What does it even mean, to find a dream? He doesn’t think past the next few weeks, has never needed to think past the next few weeks. He guesses that his dream is to be able to swim with his friends, with Rin and Nagisa and Rei, with Gou watching from the sides and Ama-chan somethimes wandering past. With Makoto. Makoto beside him, swimming in the lane parallel to his, waiting at the end of his lane after finishing his own part of the relay, coming out of the lanes to splash him when he’s being particularly obnoxious.

Makoto has a dream. Makoto is going to Tokyo.

He thinks he hates fireworks too now, thinks he associates them with the sound of Makoto leaving. He doesn’t want Makoto to go to Tokyo. He doesn’t want Makoto to be alone. He doesn’t want to be left on his own.

Rin’s breathing is heavy and steady behind him and Haru wishes he was as confident as Rin was. Rin had known what he wanted to do since before they’d even met. Rin was going to the Olympics.

Rin is going to the Olympics and Makoto is going to Tokyo and Haru just doesn’t have a dream for the future.

It’ll be obvious the next day if he cries too much during the night, and he doesn’t want Rin to see stains on the pillow tomorrow, but he can’t stop a tear searing past his closed eyelid and sliding down his temple.

He does want to swim, forever. But the word _dream_ is bitter and flaky and sticky in his mouth and he can’t spit it out.

His thoughts turn to how Makoto is and he shuts that train off quickly. He needs to apologise and that’s all he wants to think about that right now.

 

The word dream is not quite so horrible in the light of day, looking out at the ocean and the crashing waves. He doesn’t see how swimming is a dream, but he sees that it’s all Rin ever wanted to do. It’s all he’s ever wanted to do either, for as long as he can remember.

Dream sounds even better when he’s standing on the diving board of the biggest pool he’s ever seen. The man next to him is talking to him, but he doesn’t speak the language and he’s not listening anyway. He’s watching the water.

He dives in and suddenly he knows.

 

His hand hovers over the tacky, overpriced airport gift-shop’s souvenirs uncertainly. He’s got gifts for everyone else, but he doesn’t know what to give Makoto.

The guilt has been gnawing away at his stomach and he hasn’t slept properly because of it. He needs to apologise to Makoto but he doesn’t know how to do it by phone. Part of him wonders if Makoto even wants an apology from him. He’d been so horrible to him, and he doesn’t know if Makoto will forgive him.

He grabs something obnoxiously brightly coloured and probably hideously expensive and pays, leaving the shop to find Rin standing outside rolling his eyes at him.

“He’ll forgive you. We’re gonna miss the plane if you don’t hurry.”

Haru nods, somewhat comforted by Rin’s blunt assurance.

 

“I’m so sorry for what I said before, Makoto.” Haru says quietly, unable to meet Makoto’s eyes. He can feel Makoto moving closer and his heart palpitates uncomfortably fast.

Warm fingers under his jaw tilt his head up and he’s suddenly looking into Makoto’s eyes, so very close to his own.

“It’s alright now Haru.” Makoto is looking at him as earnestly as he ever has, and Haru blinks. “I’m sorry too.” He thinks he should be more uncomfortable about how close they are, but he’s not. He reaches up a hand to touch Makoto’s hand under his chin and smiles up at him. They’re going to be alright.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Makoto asks and Haru nods.

“I’m going to the Olympics.” Haru knows his eyes must be shining because Makoto is smiling a lot now. “I’m going to swim.”

Makoto’s free hand comes around behind Haru and pulls them together. Haru freezes for a moment before wrapping both his arms around Makoto’s back. “Oh,” he adds. “I’m studying in Tokyo too. I got scouted for a university a while ago –”

He’s cut off by Makoto kissing him.

Makoto pulls back quickly, redder than Haru’s ever seen him and begins stuttering apologies even as Haru laughs. “What?”

Haru leans forward and kisses him back, even though he’s smiling so much he can’t really. It’s sloppy and clumsy and both of them are laughing as they kiss. Makoto shifts slightly, lifting Haru up slightly so he doesn’t have to bend over and Haru all but jumps up, wrapping his legs around Makoto’s waist. Makoto stumbles but stays upright, although their kiss is broken now.

“Are you really coming to Tokyo?” He asks, looking up at Haru and Haru nods.

“I’ve found my dream.” His dream wasn’t Tokyo, wasn’t Makoto, but just because he was chasing the Olympics didn’t mean he had to let go of either of them. “And I want you with me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol this was hard to write.
> 
> ok just a heads up but the odds of this going on hiatus at some point in the near future is quite high because i've only written a couple of chapters past this point and my school life is a bloody nightmare so until i've sorted all that shite out i won't be able to write much. sorry everyone.


	11. Waiting Anxiously

Haru’s foot tap, tap, taps against the cold tiled floor and Makoto isn’t there to hear it.

The only evidence of Makoto in the changing room is the jumper on the hook next to his and the faint red smear on the floor next to Haru’s foot. Haru is tempted to bury his face in the jumper but he doesn’t, in case someone comes in.

Tap. Tap. Tap. He’s never felt the urge to tap his foot as he waited before, but he can’t stop it now. His phone, switched on for once, is sat next to him and he resists the urge to check it again. The volume is on. He’ll hear it when it rings.

He shuts his eyes and is immediately assaulted with the sight of Makoto falling over and opens them again, staring listlessly at the blood smudged on the floor. Perhaps if he pretends nothing happened it will disappear.

He’d wanted to go to the hospital with Makoto, he really had. But Makoto had told him, through his concussed dizziness, to stay and race and win. Makoto’s parents had been at the race, and his dad had told him one of them would come and pick him up when he was awake.

That could be hours, Haru thinks, and draws his knees up to his chest and grabs the jumper off the hook next to him. His swimsuit is packed neatly in his bag, wrapped inside his towel, and his hair has dried since his race.

Did he win? He doesn’t think so. He hadn’t been paying attention. It would surprise him if he had won, with how distracted he was.

 _Makoto’s fine._ He repeats this mantra as he wraps the too-big jumper around his shoulders and tries to think about something else.

His phone buzzes next to him and it’s from Makoto’s phone. Fingers shaking he presses the green button and listens, managing to reply to most of Makoto’s mom’s questions.

Half an hour. She’ll be there in half an hour. They had both wanted to be there when Makoto woke up, so Haru had had to wait.

He slips his arms into the sleeves of Makoto’s jumper and feels slightly warmer, slightly better. Makoto was awake, even though he wasn’t allowed to talk to him on the phone. Phones weren’t allowed in the hospital.

He checks his phone again to find less than thirty seconds have passed and curls himself in even smaller. The blood on the floor seems less vivid now, less glistening red, but it’s still nauseating to look at.

Every creaking pipe and every dripping splash in the whole damn centre seem so loud to him and Haru fancies he can hear them all, getting slowly louder and more ominous.

It’s boring. The sickness he’s been feeling is exhausting and draining but mostly it’s just boring, dragging out seconds into what feels like hours.

He picks up his bag and stands to leave the changing room to wait outside instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sORRY


	12. Budgeting

“It’s freezing.” Haru says flatly, and Makoto has to agree. Their little apartment is usually so warm and cozy, probably because of how small it is, but now it feels like a freezer.

“It is cold.” Makoto agrees, and goes to take his coat off. He shivers violently when he does, and Haru frowns at him.

“We need to fix the heater.”

“I’m fine.” Makoto says cheerfully and Haru doesn’t even bother narrowing his eyes at how transparent he is. “It’s not that cold.”

Haru takes his own coat off, but he’s always been less sensitive to the cold than Makoto and so isn’t as bothered by it. He glances over at Makoto, whose hands are shaking, and glares at them as though blaming them.

Blankets. He needs blankets. And to convince Makoto that him freezing to death before December is even half-through is very likely at this rate, and that that’s not worth saving the money.

Their bed is covered in blankets and pillows, and Haru’s face relaxes slightly as he remembers this. Makoto should be alright so long as Haru can convince him to stay in bed.

Of course, it wasn’t that simple.

The black laptop left on the couch has already whirred to live, and it’s sitting in Makoto’s lap. Makoto is blowing on his fingers, as though that will stop the permeating cold for any length of time.

“No.” Haru says, and grabs the back of Makoto’s collar. Makoto yelps in protest and clutches at his laptop. Haru doesn’t try to pull him up.

“Haru!” Makoto protests, and Haru looks down at him.

“You’re going to freeze.” Haru tells him. “You’re shaking.”

Makoto sighs, and Haru watches as his breath comes out in a faint white puff. “I’ll get another jumper.”

That’s good. His jumpers are in the bedroom. Haru lets go of Makoto’s neck and watches as Makoto heads for the bedroom, then follows silently.

Because of how small their bedroom is Makoto has to squeeze past their bed to get to the wardrobe, and Haru debates pushing him onto it as he passes for the first time.

He lets Makoto pull on the extra jumper first.

“I’ve got another jumper.” Makoto’s calling loud enough to be heard from the sitting room, and Haru remembers Makoto didn’t see him follow him.

“Hmm.” Haru agrees, and Makoto jumps and spins, yelping as he does. “You’re still cold.”

Makoto realises a split second after Haru does that Haru’s standing in the only exit. “Haru-chan…” Makoto doesn’t know why he tacks on the childish honorific but he does, and Haru blinks at him, slightly surprised.

“You’re too cold.” Haru’s voice is no quieter than normal but it seems to be. “Makoto.”

“I have a paper due.” Makoto seems to be agreeing with him, which is a step in the right direction. “Let me just –”

“I’ll go.” Haru says, and turns to get Makoto’s laptop. “Get in the bed.”

He misses Makoto’s faint flush as he climbs into bed and arranges the blankets around him so there’s enough room for two. The bottom of Makoto’s laptop is hot, and Haru presses his hands to it as he carries it back to their room. His hands are freezing and he considers a detour to grab a pair of gloves.

Makoto is bundled under three layers of blankets when he gets back, and Haru pauses for a moment to smile privately at the sight.

“We’re getting the heating fixed tomorrow.” He says, sliding in alongside Makoto and shifting his laptop onto his knees. “Your breath is visible.”

“I’m not that cold.” Makoto said absently, not fully listening to Haru. He was staring at the screen, trying to navigate with shaking fingers.

“Liar.” Haru wriggled under the three sets of blankets and sprawled across Makoto’s lap as best he could while keeping his head on the pillows and away from Makoto’s laptop. “You’re shaking.”

“Hmm.”

”We’re getting the heating fixed.”

“Mm-kay.”

Makoto’s ignoring him, but at least he’s stopped shaking. Haru sighs and mumbles into his thigh. “I’m holding you to that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *is unsure what the prompt even means*


	13. Mounting Atraction

“C’mon, Haru! No one?”

This feels eerily familiar. Rin is sat opposite him drinking his obnoxious smelling coffee while Haru refuses to make eye contact and drinks his almost odourless tea.

“No, Rin. I am not dating.”

Haru doesn’t understand Rin’s obsession with his love life. It’s exhausting and boring and Haru would frankly rather not talk about it.

Rin doesn’t care.

“Haru.” Rin whines. “You must like someone. Anyone.”

Rin’s standards are so low, Haru thinks, and sighs.

“No.”

“So boring.”

He’s technically lying. There is a really attractive guy that sits three rows ahead of him in history lectures, but Haru only likes his face and doesn’t know enough about him to qualify it as interested.

 

“Haru! You came!”

“I wasn’t given a choice.” Haru stands in the hallway, uncomfortable already. Rin grabs his arm and drags him into the living room where there’s already people gathered into clusters chattering and music playing hopelessly loudly. It’s bad music as well.

“Sousuke’s not here yet –” _Thank god_ “–but he’s bringing everyone else in about half an hour.”

Haru’s mind immediately categorises this as half an hour to escape in, and Rin glares at him as though reading the thought. “Haru, this is a big house. You can avoid Sousuke if you fucking have to.”

 _I’ll do that then_. Haru thinks. He’s going to avoid Rin’s wrath if at all possible, but he’s staying far from Sousuke.

As soon as Rin starts talking to another group of people (“What about her, Haru? She’s pretty.”) Haru slips away to the garden. The back door was open but no one else was outside, and Haru quietly sits down.

The house is noisy but not so noisy that the police will be called, and it’s all muffled to Haru anyway. He leans back against the cold stone of the house’s wall and tilts his head against the cool surface.

“You okay?” There’s a voice above him, pleasant and warm, and Haru looks up to see a tall silhouette.

A really tall silhouette. Whoever this is is over six feet tall.

“Yeah.” Haru squints slightly and makes out brown hair and a red shirt. “Hi.”

“I’m Makoto.” The silhouette sits down next to him, far enough that it’s not uncomfortable.

“Haru.” Haru doesn’t want to have to explain away how feminine his full name is, so he leaves the two syllables hanging alone in the air. Although, Makoto _is_ a pretty girlish name. “Haruka. But I prefer Haru.”

“Okay Haru.” The two sit in silence for a moment, until a loud crash from behind them disturbs the quiet. Haru swears he sees Makoto flinch.

“They’re loud.” Haru doesn’t usually like talking much, but Makoto is much more peaceful to be around than most people, so he doesn’t feel so uncomfortable.

He can’t see for certain but Makoto seems grateful that Haru’s ignoring his flinch. “Yeah. The guys I came with are a bit crazy.”

“Yeah.” Haru thinks of Rin and his whirlwind personality. “That was probably from who I came with.”

“Oh yeah?” Makoto’s voice is smiling. “What’re they like?”

“Rin? He’s a nightmare.” Haru’s voice softens slightly as he talks. “A nightmare.” He repeats, so Makoto understands just how bad Rin is.

“Rin? You mean Matsuoka Rin?” Makoto asks. “The guy who’s dating Sousuke?”

“They’re dating?” Haru deadpans. Rin hadn’t told him that. “Wait, you’re here with Sousuke?”

A faintly nervous sounding laugh came from Makoto’s direction. “Yeah. We’ve known each other a while. Don’t you get along?”

Haru doesn’t answer.

“How come you know Rin then?” Makoto’s changing the subject, and this time it’s Haru who’s grateful.

“When we were eleven he stormed up to me and told me he was better at swimming than me.”

Makoto laughs. “Was he?”

Haru doesn’t know how to answer and just shrugs, forgetting how dark it is for a moment. “It’s complicated.”

“Do you both swim competitively then?”

“Yeah.” Haru looks at the hunched silhouette next to him. “Why, do you?”

“Yep. I swim backstroke.”

“I swim free.”

Haru gets Makoto’s number, but not his face.

 

 _Wanna meet up?_ Haru deletes the unsent message and flips his phone shut, cursing his inability to communicate. He hasn’t seen Makoto since the party two days ago, and has tried to text him four times since then. Everything he writes feels awkward and clumsy and he curses again, out loud this time.

“Wow.” Rin is staring at him, unimpressed. “Just text the girl already.” He slurps loudly on whatever the glowing mixture in his clear cup is through a straw that appears to be designed to make noise and glares at Haru. “Or boy! Just text them! This pining thing is painful.”

“I’m not pining.” Haru isn’t pining. He’d just like to talk to Makoto. And to know what he looked like.

“Liar. Where did you even meet someone anyway? Was it at the party? Oh my god, it really was at the party.” Rin stares at him in shock. “How did that _happen_?”

“I talked to someone.” Haru says, then realises his mistake.

“So there is a person!” Rin jumps at him and tries to grab his phone. “Who? Who? Who? Who?”

 _I don’t know his face._ Haru thinks. _But I like him._

“You free Friday morning?” It’s Makoto. Haru’s hands had almost been shaking when he’d answered his phone. “Only, one of my classes got cancelled, and I thought you might be free…”

His voice trails off and Haru smiles. It’s kinda cute.

“Yeah, my class got cancelled too, actually.” His history lecture had been rescheduled. “I have a class at two, but we could go get lunch.”

He doesn’t know why he’s trying so hard. He’s never been this good at making friends of any kind, but this feels almost normal with Makoto.

“Sure! There’s a coffee shop…”

Makoto gives him directions and Haru writes them down, but he’s paying more attention to how Makoto’s voice sounds as he talks.

 

He’s tried on four different shirts and three pairs of jeans before he settles on what he’s wearing. He doesn’t think he’s ever been on a proper date before, and this definitely qualifies.

“Haru!” A voice calls, and he turns to see the face of the voice he’d been flirting with since last Saturday.

He looks familiar.

And attractive. Very attractive.

Haru smiles slightly and raises a hand. “Hey.”

“Shall we go inside?” Makoto asks and Haru nods, follows him into the shop.

He hadn’t been wrong about how tall Makoto was. He was several inches taller than Haru and Haru finds himself staring up at the back of his head, trying to figure out where he’s seen him before.

“You said your class was cancelled.” Makoto sits down and Haru notices his eyes for the first time, huge and green.

“Yeah. My history lecture.”

“No way.” Makoto stares at him. “We’re in the same class.”

“It’s a big class.” Haru says. “I think I’ve seen you there.”

He’s lying. He’s definitely seen him there.

Makoto’s eyes light up and he begins talking and Haru listens, even as butterflies grow in his stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a really long chapter it's over twice as long as some of the others wow
> 
> i'm really sorry but this is gonna be the last one for a while school is a bit crazy rn so i've no free time.


End file.
